Skullcrusher
Muscles worked: Triceps.
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench with either an e-z bar (my preference) or a straight bar placed on the floor behind your head and your feet on the floor.
- Grab the bar behind you, using a medium overhand (pronated) grip, and raise the bar in front of you at arms length.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the weight until the bar lightly touches your forehead while keeping the upper arms and elbows stationary.
- At that point, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Lower to the forehead or just behind
- Upper arms stay vertical and still
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 8 to 12 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Dips - chest, triceps
- Triceps Pushdown - triceps
- Overhead Triceps Extension - triceps
- Close-Grip Bench Press - triceps
Track the skullcrusher properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Currently on the New Zealand App Store, wider rollout to follow.
Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.